We want in this post to explain the basic concepts about RAID technology. This is a type of technology which is usually used for data operations that are of a critical nature, in which no type of information bit can be lost, this due to multiple factors such as mechanical or electrical failures within storage devices or some kind of optical disc.
What is a RAID?
RAID is an acronym which describes “Redundant Array of Independent Disks” in Spanish would be “Redundant Array of Independent Disks”.
It consists of a technology, which combines several rigid or magnetic disks, better known as HD, which are used to form a single logical unit, in which said data is stored on several disks. In simpler words this is a set of hard drives, which have a function as if they were one.
This type of tool allows users to have a high tolerance and few failures, since if said disk has some type of problem that you want to repair, the others will continue working, and maintaining the system as if nothing had happened.
RAID levels and types
RAID processes have a very varied function, among which the so-called “RAID levels” stand out. There are 6 basic levels, which we will explain here:
RAID Level 0
It is known as ” Striping “. It consists of the place where all the data is divided. This division is based on small fragments, which are also distributed among all the disks.
This is a level which does not usually offer much tolerance with respect to faults, since they do not exist. For this reason, if a failure occurs in any of the hard drives, these can cause some type of information loss.
It is important to recognize that the more discs there are, the greater the speed that is achieved. This is because if the data was recorded on a single disc, this process will be done sequentially.
RAID Level 1
It is known as “ Mirroring ” and its special function is to add different hard drives in parallel to the ones that are mainly inside the computer. If a computer has 2 disks, the hard disk can be attached to it. In such a way that the disks that have been added will work as if a copy of the first one were made.
RAID Level 2
This type of RAID is the one that adapts to the mechanism where failures are detected within the hard drives, in this way it works as a memory. In this way the disks of said matrix will be “monitored” by the system’s own mechanism.
RAID Level 3
This is the level, in which the data is divided between the disks of the array. All except one, which stores that parity information.
All the bytes that the data have has a parity, which consists of an increase of 1 bit, which allows you to identify the errors that come into being. Through such verification, it is possible that the integrity of all your information is ensured, this in case they require a recovery.
RAID Level 4
This type of RAID divides the data found between the disks, this being one of the disks exclusively used for parity.
The only difference it has from level 3 is that if one of the disks should fail, the data in the system can be reconstructed in real time. The RAID 4 is the route indicated will be achieved meediantela carry out the storage of large files.
RAID Level 5
This is a RAID level similar to 4, with the only exception that the parity was not intended for a single disk, but for the entire array. This helps the recording to be done much faster, however, it is not necessary to access a parity disk in for each recording.